Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) induces graft-versus-myeloma effect and can overcome resistance to conventional therapy but is limited by the risk of graft versus host disease and high transplant-related mortality (TRM). Between 1991 and 2006, 33 patients underwent a myeloablative (52%) or reduced-intensity conditioning (48%) allogeneic HSCT 3.2 months to 15 years after the diagnosis of multiple myeloma (MM). Median overall survival after HSCT was 40.6 months. Twelve patients (36%) are alive, including six patients in Complete response (CR), 8.3 to 172.7 months after HSCT. Patients surviving more than 48 months after transplant were more likely to be younger than 50 (100%vs. 44%, P = 0.017), have received a bone marrow graft (84%vs. 33%, P = 0.033) and less likely to have had prior autologous transplant (0%vs. 56%, P = 0.017). Allogeneic HSCT is feasible in selected patients with MM with adverse disease features and can induced prolonged disease control.


The renin-angiotensin system, through the actions of angiotensin II, has significant proinflammatory actions on the vessel wall that can contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis. Hemodynamic forces are major determinants of atherosclerotic plaque localization. Plaques tend to form at arterial bifurcations, branch points, and curvatures where blood flow is low and oscillatory, whereas blood vessels exposed to high laminar shear stress remain comparatively devoid of plaques. Immunostaining of C57BL/6 mouse aortic arches showed a distinctive endothelial angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) staining at the athero-prone inner curvature of the aortic arch but not in the adjoining outer curvature. In HUVECs exposed to laminar shear stress, we found that the AT1R was downregulated within 3 hours. The objective of the present study was to determine the mechanisms underlying shear stress-dependent downregulation of AT1R. We designed luciferase plasmids driven by different constructs of the AT1R promoter, spanning -1934 to +101 from the transcription start site, and transfected them into mouse primary endothelial cells. Using luciferase reporter assay, we found that shear stress reduced expression of the reporter construct by 42% (static = 3.00±0.51%, shear = 1.73±0.30%, P<0.05) after 6 hours. Using truncated constructs of the AT1R promoter, we identified the region -492 to -657 as necessary for the shear stress-dependent downregulation of AT1R (static = 1.20±0.23%, shear = 1.11±0.22%). Based on sequence conservation among human, mouse, rat and chimp, transcription factor binding site analysis pointed to a well-conserved site for C/EBP alpha. We used chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by qPCR analysis to demonstrate that C/EBP alpha was more strongly bound to the AT1R promoter under shear stress (3.21±0.83%) compared with static conditions (0.99±0.29%, P<0.05). Immunofluorescence also showed that C/EBP alpha was more abundant in the nucleus of endothelial cells under shear stress (12.7±3.0%) than static (1.9±1.6%) conditions. Our results suggest that the shear-stress dependent downregulation of AT1R is, at least in part, mediated through C/EBP alpha. This is, to our knowledge, the first indication of a role for C/EBP alpha in shear stress-dependent gene regulation.


After hypertransfusion, normal ww and anemic WWT mice show the same increase in red-cell volume, decrease in reticulocytes, and temporary cessation of blood formation. The time required for the red cell volume to return to the value observed before treatment is the same for both groucps of inice. The cell volume at which new erythrocytes are again released into the circulation depends upon the genotype of functioning blood-forming tissue. Injections of erythropoietin stimulate red cell formation in polycythemic ww mice, but have much less (if any) effect upon polycythemic WWT mice.


Cluster tools are automated production cells which are largely used for semiconductor manufacturing. They consist of several processing modules (PMs) and a transportation robot. Since cluster tools have limited buffers and diverse scheduling requirements such as complex wafer flow patterns, parallel PMs, wafer residency time constraints, and dual-arm robot, and so on, their scheduling problems are difficult. Due to the diversity of scheduling problems, dealing with those problems one by one may be impractical. Computational complexity is another difficulty. In this paper, we propose an efficient scheduling method to deal with diverse complex cluster tool scheduling problems by using timed Petri nets (TPN). We propose TPN models of cluster tools with various scheduling requirements. Then, based on the TPN models and their state equations, we develop a new mixed integer programming (MIP) model that can efficiently determine the optimal cyclic schedules. We show that many kinds of scheduling requirements such as parallel, reentrant and multiple material flows, a dual-armed robot, and time constrained PMs can be dealt with by the MIP model. Through experiments, we also show that the MIP model can efficiently solve most practical cluster tool scheduling problems.


Countries are increasingly interested in having an official multidimensional poverty index (MPI). This is the expression of a growing consensus regarding the limitations of income poverty measures as standalone indicator. This paper analyses the challenges in designing such indices. Specifically, it addresses the selection of the unit of identification, the selection of dimensions and indicators, including the issue of missing values and the debate on whether to include an indicator of monetary deprivation or not, the weighting structure and the poverty cutoff. In general, for all the reviewed items, the bottom line is that there is no canonical procedure for making these choices. It is essential to critically assess the advantages and disadvantages of each option and the conceptual implications entailed, as well as to complete a careful empirical analysis, via robustness, sensitivity and bias checks, of the implications of the decisions taken.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of spiritual group training on improving the spiritual well-being (SWB) among adolescences. The SWB is one of the factors that determines adolescences' positive behavior. A number of previous studies have supported that spirituality and juvenile delinquency were negatively correlated. The level of SWB is mostly influenced by the peers' group interaction and the role of others in the environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors developed a Spiritual Group Training by utilizing a number of relevant literature. The authors constructed the training using the meaning of life, values of life, life goals, life connections, and relation to God. In order to yield empirical evidence, the authors performed a pre- and post-test experimental design. The study recruited 26 randomly selected students from five high schools. The authors adapted a 13-item SWB scale to measure the participants' SWB.

Findings

The results showed that Spiritual Group Training significantly improved participants' SWB (t=9.71, p<0.001). The results confirmed the study hypothesis that spiritual group training enhanced adolescences' SWB.

Research limitations/implications

Designing a proper intervention and evaluation was a challenging task for the authors. In this study, the authors evaluated the training by utilizing a simple pre- and post-test design. Future investigations should employ a different evaluation design.

Originality/value

Most studies support the notion that spirituality is negatively correlated with adolescence's negative behavior. However, only a few, if any, investigations have focused on developing certain training focusing on SWB. This study contributed an important idea on the use of SWB to develop adolescence SWB.


Important data are locked in ancient literature. It would be uneconomic to produce these data again and today or to extract them without the help of text mining technologies. Vespa is a text mining project whose aim is to extract data on pest and crops interactions, to model and predict attacks on crops, and to reduce the use of pesticides. A few attempts proposed an agricultural information access. Another originality of our work is to parse documents with a dependency of the document architecture.


Experiential learning is an important pedagogical approach used in secondary agricultural education. Though anecdotal evidence supports the use of experiential learning, a paucity of empirical research exists supporting the effects of this approach when compared to a more conventional teaching method, such as direct instruction. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine the effects of an experiential learning approach to instruction on the successful intelligence of secondary agricultural education students, as measured across three domains – practical intelligence, analytical intelligence, and creative intelligence. It was concluded students who received the experiential learning treatment produced higher creativity scores that were domain specific. In addition, they scored higher in their practical use of knowledge when compared to their direct instruction counterparts. However, regardless of treatment, both direct instruction and experiential learning yielded similar analytical knowledge scores. Thus, it was recommended agricultural educators utilize a blended approach of instruction to provide balanced growth in all four modes of learning.


Service managers face the problem of simultaneously developing and implementing both capacity and demand management strategies. Often they must chose between marketing options, for shifting or increasing demand, or operations management options such as adding additional capacity via more equipment or employees. The interaction of these two functional area strategies can have surprising, unintended, and often detrimental outcomes from a profit perspective. This article looks at the outcomes of various combinations of these decisions in a service network, a service with multiple activities within one site. We develop and apply an integrative model for determining the profit-maximizing capacity management strategy for a service network. We implement the model by combining a conjoint analysis-based optimal product design model from marketing with a simulation model investigating capacity and demand management strategies from operations management. We tested the model using data from an actual service network, a ski resort. Our results indicated that queue information signage was the most effective strategy for improving profitability. We also found that a decision that management believed would increase revenues—changing the customer class mix—actually decreased profitability substantially.


Two putative tetrapod humeri of Devonian age, ANSP 21350 from the late Famennian of Pennsylvania and GSM 104536 from the late Frasnian of Scat Craig, Scotland, are reinterpreted in the light of more recent discoveries. The morphology of ANSP 21350 can be more fully homologized with those of elpistostegids and early tetrapods than previously recognized. Unique features include distally displaced dorsal muscle attachments and a ventrally rotated distal face of the bone. This suggests that a weight-bearing ventrally directed forearm was created, not by means of a flexed elbow as in other tetrapods, but by distorting the humerus. The olecranon process on the ulna was probably poorly developed or absent. Primitive characters that are absent in other tetrapods add support to the contention that ANSP 21350 is the least crownward of known tetrapod humeri. Contrary to previous claims, Acanthostega has a characteristic tetrapod ulnar morphology with an olecranon process; it does not resemble an elpistostegid ulna and is not uniquely primitive for tetrapods. This suggests that the flexed tetrapod elbow with ulnar extensor muscles attached to the olecranon evolved simultaneously with the large rectangular entepicondyle typical for early tetrapods, probably as part of a single functional complex. GSM 104536 is denfinitely not a primitive tetrapod humerus, nor a sarcopterygian branchial bone, but cannot be positively identified at present.


Consider directed acyclic graph (DAG) scheduling for a large heterogeneous system, which consists of processors with varying processing capabilities and network links with varying bandwidths. The search space of possible task schedules for this problem is immense. One possible approach for this optimization problem, which is NP-hard, is to start with the best task schedule found by a fast deterministic task scheduling algorithm and then iteratively attempt to improve the task schedule by employing a general random guided search method. However, such an approach can lead to extremely long search times, and the solutions found are sometimes not significantly better than those found by the original deterministic task scheduling algorithm. In this paper, we propose an alternative strategy, termed Push-Pull, which starts with the best task schedule found by a fast deterministic task scheduling algorithm and then iteratively attempts to improve the current best solution using a deterministic guided search method. Our simulation results show that given similar runtimes, the Push-Pull algorithm performs well, achieving results similar to or better than all of the other algorithms being compared.


: The syndrome of cholestasis is a common manifestation of chronic liver disease (CLD) of any etiology: alcoholic, viral, drug, metabolic, etc. The basis of the formation of cholestasis is a violation of the synthesis, secretion or bile outflow. Accession intrahepatic cholestasis (field surgery) for chronic liver disease alters its course, aggravates the condition of the patient, reduces the immune system, leads to development of severe septic complications, significantly reduces the quality of life (QoL) and worsens the prognosis. In published data, as well as the results of original research aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of syndrome of field surgery. Was given the definition of the severity of field surgery, defined the criteria for severity, identified the severity of field surgery. Clarified the influence of field surgery in the state of the plasma level of coagulation, as well as the phosphorus-calcium metabolism in CLD of various etiologies. The advantages and versatility combined antiholestaticheskoy field surgery therapy for moderate and severe degree of different etiologies. An algorithm for treatment of field surgery, suggesting a differential approach to therapy depending on the severity of field surgery.


The formation of the Ottoman modern state in the nineteenth century was closely interrelated with the population policies. The policies directed towards population addressed three concerns central to Otoman modern state building in the nineteenth century. These were the concern to tax, to create a labor force for agricultural production and local reconstruction projects, and to draft soldiers for the modern armies. The importance of protection and procreation of the population for agricultural production, taxation, trade, industry and military was substantiated by the population policies of the government in the early period of the Tanzimat. As the state identified the population as a source of income after the Tanzimat, it tried to protect and procreate its population through certain institutional arrangements and regulations. The population policies were interrelated with the whole body of social, economic, political, military, educational, and sanitary reforms that characterized the Tanzimat era.


Grant certain duties, to alter other duties, and to amend the law relating to the national debt and the public revenue, and to make further provision in connection with finance.


The particulate backscattering ratio (b(bp)/b(p)) is a useful indicator of the angular scattering characteristics of natural waters. Recent studies have shown evidence both for and against significant spectral variability in b(bp)/b(p) in the visible domain, but most show significant variability in its magnitude. We present results from a case study in which both backscattering and scattering coefficients were measured at nine wavelengths in a region of UK coastal waters where optical scattering is strongly influenced by inorganic particles and where a wide range of turbidities is found in a small geographic area. Using a new approach based on regression analysis of in situ signals, it is shown that, for this study site, most of the apparent variability in the magnitude of the backscattering ratio can be attributed to measurement uncertainties. Regression analysis suggests that b(bp)/b(p) is wavelength dependent for these mineral-rich waters. This conclusion can only be avoided by positing the existence of undocumented, systematic, wavelength-dependent errors in backscattering measurements made by two independently calibrated sensors. These results are important for radiative transfer simulations in mineral-dominated waters where the backscattering ratio has often been assumed to be spectrally flat. Furthermore, spectral dependence also has profound implications for our understanding of the relationship between b(bp)/b(p) and particle size distributions in coastal waters since the commonly assumed power-law distribution is associated with a spectrally flat particulate backscattering ratio for nonabsorbing particles.


This philosophically oriented thesis engages with the growing and multi-faceted phenomenon of global student mobility and the forms of capital which underpin,are changed by and, in some form, evolve from these experiences. Drawing on Actor-Network Theory, the practices and experiences of Brazilian students – and their shifts in social capital as they embark on their journey to Ireland – are at the core of the analysis. The focus is on the description of strategies deployed by the students to enrol and mobilise other actors, therefore extending their actor-networks. The investigation continues by tracing the heterogeneous associations that assemble the Irish international education policy strategy in light of its agentic capacity to enact realities in a particular way. The task of closely "following the actors", whether human or non-human, allows the emergence of a hybrid discussion between scholarly enquiry and empirical study, where ontological disquietudes are favoured over epistemological rules. This thesis falls into an ontological debate on the consequences of an encounter between Actor-Network Theory, international education realities, and the idea of social capital. In this, all the actors involved – primary and secondary data, and researcher – are seen as entities performing a series of associations in the same plane of immanence, rejecting a priori categorisations established by Cartesian modes of knowledge production.

In electing case study as a research methodology, this study was brought into being by assembling in-depth interviews, documentary analysis, and reflective diaries as research methods. The fluid concept of translation was used to describe the socio-material practices of students, policy, and their associations; framing the often paradoxical ways realities are enacted. Actor-Network Theory's artifices –
that favour the craft of unfamiliar theoretical repertoires – generated the concept of "social capital actor-networks". This hybrid theoretical construct illuminates how human and non-human entities' singular and precarious processes of
mobilisation are performed until some form of ontological security is achieved via alliances. This thesis demonstrates how a relational philosophical sensibility can flourish as it concomitantly explores and brings into existence previously unknown international education realities.


It is proved that the homology and cohomology theories of groups and associative algebras are non-abelian derived functors of the cokernel and kernel groups of higher dimensions of their defining standard chain and cochain complexes respectively. The same results are also obtained for the relative (co)homology of groups, the mod q cohomology of groups and the cohomology of groups with operators. This allowed us to give an alternative approach to higher Hopf formulas for integral homology of groups. An axiomatic characterization of the relative cohomology of groups is given and higher relative (n+1)-th cohomology of groups is described in terms of n-fold extensions.


Clopidogrel resistance is a phenomenon which has c linical implications related to the evolution and unfavorable prognosis of patients with acute co r nary syndromes (ACS). Although different mechanisms for Clopidogrel resistance have been sug gested, genetic polymorphism of liver enzyme CYP2C19 is on of the most prominent. The aim of the study was to determine variations in response to Clopidogrel in a group of 96 patient s diagnosed with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), by genotyping the CYP2C19 cytochrome and the ABCB1 gene. CYP2C19 and ABCB1 polymorphisms were investigated using two methods: TaqMan Assay and High Resolution Melting (HRM) technique. Depending on the genotypic constellation of the alleles studied for CYP2C19 gene, patients were divided into several pr ediction categories: normal metabolizer (6.25%); intermediate metabolizer (0%); slow metabolizer (17.70%); very fast metabolizer (60.41%) and unpredictable metabolizer (15.62%). HRM technique may be a viable alternative to determine the CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*17 and ABCB1 polymorphisms, being less expensive than TaqMan Assay.


In flies, the choice between neuronal and glial fates depends on the asymmetric division of multipotent precursors, the neuroglioblast of the central nervous system and the IIb precursor of the sensory organ lineage. In the central nervous system, the choice between the two fates requires asymmetric distribution of the glial cell deficient/glial cell missing (glide/gcm) RNA in the neuroglioblast. Preferential accumulation of the transcript in one of the daughter cells results in the activation of the glial fate in that cell, which becomes a glial precursor. Here we show that glide/gcm is necessary to induce glial differentiation in the peripheral nervous system. We also present evidence that glide/gcm RNA is not necessary to induce the fate choice in the peripheral multipotent precursor. Indeed, glide/gcm RNA and protein are first detected in one daughter of IIb but not in IIb itself. Thus, glide/gcm is required in both central and peripheral glial cells, but its regulation is context dependent. Strikingly, we have found that only subsets of sensory organs are gliogenic and express glide/gcm. The ability to produce glial cells depends on fixed, lineage related, cues and not on stochastic decisions. Finally, we show that after glide/gcm expression has ceased, the IIb daughter migrates and divides symmetrically to produce several mature glial cells. Thus, the glide/gcm-expressing cell, also called the fifth cell of the sensory organ, is indeed a glial precursor. This is the first reported case of symmetric division in the sensory organ lineage. These data indicate that the organization of the fly peripheral nervous system is more complex than previously thought.


We propose a methodological framework to include a wide variety of discrete choice models in (mixed) integer optimization problems. We succeed in obtaining a specification that is linear in the decision variables, allowing to use exact methods to solve the problem. This opens the door to solving integrated supply and demand models in many fields. This working paper describes the methodology and proposes the full model.


The effect of maternal metabolic state on the response to dietary zinc deficiency was assessed with the pregnant rat as a model. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed from mating to term: 1) a zinc-adequate (100 micrograms/g) control diet ad libitum, or 2) a zinc-deficient diet (0.7 micrograms/g) ad libitum, or 3) a control diet at reduced intake, or 4) a zinc-deficient diet at reduced intake, or 5) a zinc-deficient diet ad libitum plus additional zinc-deficient diet, fed by intubation, to maintain total intake at approximately 14 g/day. Dams receiving the zinc-deficient diet deposited more zinc (240-330%) into the products of conception than was consumed, showing that tissue catabolism is a substantial source of zinc. In rats fed the control diet ad libitum only 3% of the zinc consumed was deposited into the products of conception. Litters from dams fed the deficient diet at restricted levels (resulting in greater tissue catabolism) had fewer malformations and resorptions than litters from dams fed the zinc-deficient diet ad libitum. Maintenance of total intake of the zinc-deficient diet at 14 g/day by intubation resulted in a pronounced drop in voluntary intake. By day 18 of pregnancy voluntary intake had almost ceased, following day 18 the rats became severely distressed if any zinc-deficient diet was force-fed. Rats fed the zinc-deficient diet ad libitum also displayed a dramatic fall in voluntary intake after day 18 of gestation. These data show that the reduction in food intake during zinc deficiency is not due to gustatory influences alone and that metabolic state, defined as the balance between anabolism and catabolism, is a critical factor in determining the availability of zinc to the litter during zinc deficiency.


When pre-trained on large unsupervised textual corpora, language models are able to store and retrieve factual knowledge to some extent, making it possible to use them directly for zero-shot cloze-style question answering. However, storing factual knowledge in a fixed number of weights of a language model clearly has limitations. Previous approaches have successfully provided access to information outside the model weights using supervised architectures that combine an information retrieval system with a machine reading component. In this paper, we go a step further and integrate information from a retrieval system with a pre-trained language model in a purely unsupervised way. We report that augmenting pre-trained language models in this way dramatically improves performance and that the resulting system, despite being unsupervised, is competitive with a supervised machine reading baseline. Furthermore, processing query and context with different segment tokens allows BERT to utilize its Next Sentence Prediction pre-trained classifier to determine whether the context is relevant or not, substantially improving BERT's zero-shot cloze-style question-answering performance and making its predictions robust to noisy contexts.


The prosecution must prove its case by more than a mere preponderance of the evidence, yet not necessarily to an absolute certainty. The State has the burden of proving the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Some of you may have served as jurors in civil cases, where you were told that it is necessary to prove only that a fact is more likely true than not true. In criminal cases, the State's proof must be more powerful than that. It must be beyond a reasonable doubt. A reasonable doubt is an honest and reasonable uncertainty in your minds about the guilt of the defendant after you have given full and impartial consideration to all of the evidence. A reasonable doubt may arise from the evidence itself or from a lack of evidence. It is a doubt that a reasonable person hearing the same evidence would have. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is proof, for example, that leaves you firmly convinced of the defendant's guilt. In this world, we know very few things with absolute certainty. In criminal cases the law does not require proof that overcomes every possible doubt. If, based on your consideration of the evidence, you are firmly convinced that the defendant is guilty of the crime charged, you must find him/her guilty. If, on the other hand, you are not firmly convinced of defendant's guilt, you must give defendant the benefit of the doubt and find him/her not guilty.


Cultural institutions, such as museums are particularly interested in making their collections accessible to people with physical disabilities. New technologies, such as Web3D and augmented reality (AR) can aid museums to respond to this challenge by building virtual museums accessible over the Internet or through kiosks located in accessible places within the museum. In this paper, we propose a prototype user-friendly visualisation interface that uses Web3D and AR techniques to visualise cultural heritage artefacts for virtual museum exhibitions. User interactions within the virtual museum are performed in an effective way with the help of assistive technology, so that users can feel completely related with the virtual museum artefacts and so benefit in terms of education and entertainment.


Information and communication technologies (ICT) are enabling unforeseen capabilities in all aspect of our lives. They are reframing how we think, learn, work, play, and interact at personal, social, and political level. While these technologies are essential for society and for today's information economy, several aspects of their applications remain un-reflected and open to surprises. For the first time in Opinion 26 (2012) the EGE has extended its analysis to ICT, identifying and addressing some key- problems in ICT ethics, as well as looking at the ethical implications of different ICT applications, new fields of research, and future developments. Opinion 28 will specifically deal with security and surveillance technologies, a domain where the ICT normative issues are even more problematic, due to the ethical, legal, and political ambiguities affecting these concepts and their histories. The reflections proposed here below touch on some general normative issues concerning ICT implications, and discuss a few key elements in the construction of a framework for their governance, especially in the fields of security and surveillance.


This paper analyses market efficiency and the role of the virtual location in digital markets using a data set containing more than 23,000 price observations from the online market for contact lenses as well as detailed information about online retailer and product characteristics. The data allow to implement and test the concept of virtual location. The empirical results reveal evidence for lower prices and less price dispersion among e-retailers in comparison to hybrid retailers, which supports the hypothesis of enhanced market efficiency in electronic markets. Furthermore, the results show that an online shops virtual location influences its prices and that differences in prices are partially driven by differentiation in retailer service. A decomposition of the price differential reveals that there may indeed be a competition effect.


We attempt the removal of the large-scale signal associated with one important component of climate variability, the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, from the global surface air temperature data set in order to facilitate analysis of other potential causes of climate change. Previous attempts to remove the ENSO signal from climate records at the global scale have been based on relatively simple regression analysis. We use empirical orthogonal function analysis to identify characteristic spatial patterns of change in the global surface air temperature field and thus define the ENSO signal. The approach successfully identifies two ENSO-related components of the variability in the global data set, and the removal process results in a significant reduction in variance. Evaluation of the process indicates that attention should be paid to seasonality in the ENSO signal. Moreover, it is clear that other aspects of the statistical generalization inherent in the approach have resulted in a residual ENSO signal in the data set. The remaining signal does, however, appear to be regional in nature and/or only marked in the case of particular ENSO events. We conclude that an approach based on empirical orthogonal function analysis presents an effective means of isolating and removing specific climate signals.


To explore the distribution of Pfiesteria piscicida in Korean coastal waters, we analyzed the morphology and DNA sequence of several isolates collected from 6 locations along the southern and western Korean coasts. We also investigated the prey species consumed by a Korean isolate and determined the growth and ingestion rates of P. piscicida when it fed on the dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae, an unidentified cryptophyte species, and the raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo. Additionally, these parameters were measured when the isolate was fed perch blood cells and the cryptophyte Rhodomonas salina. Furthermore, we calculated grazing coefficients by combining field data on abundance of P. piscicida (and Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellates) with laboratory data on ingestion rates. The DNA sequence of a P. piscicida isolate from Masan Bay was identical to USA isolates, whereas DNA sequences of isolates from Busan, Incheon, Kunsan, Kwangyang, and Yeosu differed by 1 bp from USA isolates. Among the prey offered, P. piscicida was able to feed on all naked mixotrophic dinoflagellates, the smallest thecate mixotrophic dinoflagellates Heterocapsa rotundata, and all raphidophytes, but not on large thecate dinoflagellates. Perch blood cells were the optimal prey. Maximum growth rates of P. piscicida fed on perch blood cells, R. salina, A. carterae, the cryptophyte, and H. akashiwo were 1.74, 1.41, 1.22, 1.15, and 1.10 d -1 , respectively. The maximum ingestion rate of P. piscicida when fed perch blood cells (4.3 ng C predator -1 d -1 ) was much higher than those when fed R. salina, H. akashiwo, A. carterae, or the cryptophyte (0.4 to 1.7 ng C predator -1 d -1 ). Calculated grazing coefficients on co-occurring Amphidinium spp., H. akashiwo, and cryptophytes were up to 1.07, 0.45, and 0.22 h -1 , respectively. Our results suggest that grazing by P. piscicida potentially has a considerable effect on algal populations.


Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a very variable and complex entity that has stimulated different attempts at classification. Several proposals have been made in recent years, based on objective and anatomical criteria, most of them incomplete and unsatisfactory. Finally the CEAP classification was presented in 1994. This certainly is the most nearly complete classification, since it takes into consideration not only the main aspects of CVI: Clinical, Etiological, Anatomical, and Pathophysiological, but also the degrees of severity, reported in the form of scores. It is now accepted internationally although it still has some flaws (such as the absence of the corona phlebectactica sign) and inaccuracies (above all in the clinical part and the scoring). Recently, some members of the Promoting Committee proposed a substantial modification of the part on scores, coming closest to the clinical reality, instrumental diagnosis, and current therapies. The characteristics of CEAP enable us to affirm that this represents the most original and useful classification, not only for clinical studies, but also in the assessment of therapeutic results and in patient follow-up. Like all classifications, CEAP also needs to be validated by means of clinical studies in order to demonstrate its applicability. For this purpose, a European Working Group was set up in 1997. The first interesting results of 872 dossiers collected by means of a computerized program (European Phlebological File) were presented at several international congresses and concentrated on the consistency and reproducibility of the clinical part of the CEAP classification in different clinical settings.


The Muslim scholar Abu Ameenah Philips has kindly agreed to let MSA-USC display three chapters (1, 2, and 10) from his book "The Fundamentals of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism)". This book is highly recommended reading for those who would like to learn about the basis of Islam: there is no being worthy of worship except Allah (God), and Allah is Absolutely One and Absolutely Unique. We note also that a Muslim is further obligated to accept the Prophet Muhammad (saws) as Allah's final prophet to humanity.


Egg masses of tussock moths are frequently intercepted at the border, most commonly on imported used vehicles. These have been assumed to be of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). However, there are six other Lymantriid pest species with similar indiscriminate oviposition and overwintering behaviour that are considered to have the potential to reach New Zealand. Unfortunately there is no accurate record of what arrives, as early immature life stages of tussock moths cannot be reliably identified morphologically to the species level. A molecular diagnostic system was therefore adopted for the identification of all interceptions. During the period 2000–2002, 151 specimens were intercepted on used vehicles from Japan and one on a vehicle from the USA. Of these 82% were identified as gypsy moth, 2% were other high-risk species (nun moth, L. monacha, and white spotted tussock moth, Orgyia thyellina), 6% were unknown species and 10% had no detectable DNA. This information is interpreted with respect to the quarantine systems in place and the practical role of molecular tools for biosecurity.


Abstract. China has pledged reduction of carbon dioxide ( CO2 )
emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 60 %–65 % relative to 2005 levels,
and to peak carbon emissions overall by 2030. However, the lack of
observational data and disagreement among the many available
inventories makes it difficult for China to track progress toward
these goals and evaluate the efficacy of control measures. To
demonstrate the value of atmospheric observations for constraining
 CO2 inventories we track the ability of CO2
concentrations predicted from three different CO2
inventories to match a unique multi-year continuous record of
atmospheric CO2 . Our analysis time window includes the key
commitment period for the Paris Agreement (2005) and the Beijing
Olympics (2008). One inventory is China-specific and two are spatial
subsets of global inventories. The inventories differ in spatial
resolution, basis in national or subnational statistics, and reliance
on global or China-specific emission factors. We use a unique set of
historical atmospheric observations from 2005 to 2009 to evaluate the
three CO2  emissions inventories within China's heavily
industrialized and populated northern region accounting for
 ∼ 33 %–41 % of national emissions. Each anthropogenic
inventory is combined with estimates of biogenic CO2  within
a high-resolution atmospheric transport framework to model the time
series of CO2  observations. To convert the model–observation
mismatch from mixing ratio to mass emission rates we distribute it
over a region encompassing 90 % of the total surface influence in
seasonal (annual) averaged back-trajectory footprints (L_0.90
region). The L_0.90 region roughly corresponds to northern
China. Except for the peak growing season, where assessment of
anthropogenic emissions is entangled with the strong vegetation
signal, we find the China-specific inventory based on subnational data
and domestic field studies agrees significantly better with
observations than the global inventories at all timescales. Averaged
over the study time period, the unscaled China-specific inventory
reports substantially larger annual emissions for northern China
(30 %) and China as a whole (20 %) than the two unscaled
global inventories. Our results, exploiting a robust time series of
continuous observations, lend support to the rates and geographic
distribution in the China-specific inventory Though even long-term
observations at a single site reveal differences among inventories,
exploring inventory discrepancy over all of China requires a denser
observational network in future efforts to measure and verify
 CO2 emissions for China both regionally and nationally. We
find that carbon intensity in the northern China region has decreased
by 47 % from 2005 to 2009, from approximately
4  kg of CO2 per USD (note that all references to USD in this paper refer to USD adjusted for purchasing power parity, PPP) in 2005 to about
2  kg of CO2 per USD in 2009
(Fig. 9c). However, the corresponding 18 % increase in
absolute emissions over the same time period affirms a critical point
that carbon intensity targets in emerging economies can be at odds
with making real climate progress. Our results provide an important
quantification of model–observation mismatch, supporting the increased
use and development of China-specific inventories in tracking China's
progress as a whole towards reducing emissions. We emphasize that this
work presents a methodology for extending the analysis to other
inventories and is intended to be a comparison of a subset of
anthropogenic CO2 emissions rates from inventories that were
readily available at the time this research began. For this study's
analysis time period, there was not enough spatially distinct
observational data to conduct an optimization of the inventories. The
primary intent of the comparisons presented here is not to judge
specific inventories, but to demonstrate that even a single site with
a long record of high-time-resolution observations can identify major
differences among inventories that manifest as biases in the
model–data comparison. This study provides a baseline analysis for
evaluating emissions from a small but important region within China,
as well a guide for determining optimal locations for future
ground-based measurement sites.


Brownfield redevelopment is called upon to remedy damaged ecological, economic, and social conditions due to contamination from prior land use(s). It can be utilized as a means for revitalizing low-income neighborhoods and communities of color that have suffered from years of economic disinvestment and a polluted environment. Critics of brownfield redevelopment in low-income neighborhoods argue that this form of revitalization can backfire when property values and rental prices rise and existing residents are pushed out. The City of Oakland has demonstrated a form of inclusionary brownfield redevelopment that incorporates housing that is affordable to existing residents in the area and thus avoiding the form of exclusionary housing witnessed in other cases of brownfield redevelopment in central cities. This report builds on the hypothesis that inclusionary brownfield redevelopments in Oakland can serve as a model approach for other cities in preventing displacement of lower income, residents of color through gentrification.


Smart City deployments typically have thousands to even hundreds of thousands of Surveillance cameras. Rapid advancements in computer vision techniques due to Deep Neural Networks enable using these camera feeds for performing non-trivial analytics. Tracking a moving object of interest using a large network of cameras, also known as object reidentification, is one such analytic that empowers city administration with capabilities such as finding missing people or prioritizing emergency vehicles. We have built Anveshak, a framework for distributed wide-area tracking. Anveshak fills in the shortcomings of existing Big Data and Deep Learning frameworks by - exposing an intuitive and composable programming model; automating application deployment and orchestration across edge, fog and cloud resources and providing knobs to the user for managing the application performance. The knobs lend the application the ability to scale potentially to thousands of cameras. In this proposal we have designed two representative applications; missing person tracking and priority signalling for emergency vehicles. We empirically verify that the application scales to 1000 cameras on a Cloud-only deployment of 10 Azure VMs with 8 cores and 32GB RAM each. Alternatively, it scales to 500 cameras on a simulated setup of 100 edge, 30 fog, and 1 Cloud VM. We also highlight the effect of the knobs on the application performance. designed two representative applications; missing person tracking and priority signalling for emergency vehicles. We empirically verify that the application scales to 1000 cameras on a Cloud-only deployment of 10 Azure VMs with 8 cores and 32GB RAM each. Alternatively, it scales to 500 cameras on a simulated setup of 100 edge, 30 fog, and 1 Cloud VM. We also highlight the effect of the knobs on the application performance.


The generalized gamma convolutions class of distributions appeared in Thorin's work while looking for the infinite divisibility of the log-Normal and Pareto distributions. Although these distributions have been extensively studied in the univariate case, the multivariate case and the dependence structures that can arise from it have received little interest in the literature. Furthermore, only one projection procedure for the univariate case was recently constructed, and no estimation procedures are available. By expanding the densities of multivariate generalized gamma convolutions into a tensorized Laguerre basis, we bridge the gap and provide performant estimation procedures for both the univariate and multivariate cases. We provide some insights about performance of these procedures, and a convergent series for the density of multivariate gamma convolutions, which is shown to be more stable than Moschopoulos's and Mathai's univariate series. We furthermore discuss some examples.


The Global Carbon Budget 2018 (GCB2018) estimated by the atmospheric CO 2 growth rate, fossil fuel emissions, and modeled (bottom‐up) land and ocean fluxes cannot be fully closed, leading to a "budget imbalance," highlighting uncertainties in GCB components. However, no systematic analysis has been performed on which regions or processes contribute to this term. To obtain deeper insight on the sources of uncertainty in global and regional carbon budgets, we analyzed differences in Net Biome Productivity (NBP) for all possible combinations of bottom‐up and top‐down data sets in GCB2018: (i) 16 dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs), and (ii) 5 atmospheric inversions that match the atmospheric CO 2 growth rate. We find that the global mismatch between the two ensembles matches well the GCB2018 budget imbalance, with Brazil, Southeast Asia, and Oceania as the largest contributors. Differences between DGVMs dominate global mismatches, while at regional scale differences between inversions contribute the most to uncertainty. At both global and regional scales, disagreement on NBP interannual variability between the two approaches explains a large fraction of differences. We attribute this mismatch to distinct responses to El Niño–Southern Oscillation variability between DGVMs and inversions and to uncertainties in land use change emissions, especially in South America and Southeast Asia. We identify key needs to reduce uncertainty in carbon budgets: reducing uncertainty in atmospheric inversions (e.g., through more observations in the tropics) and in land use change fluxes, including more land use processes and evaluating land use transitions (e.g., using high‐resolution remote‐sensing), and, finally, improving tropical hydroecological processes and fire representation within DGVMs.


Dengue dynamics are shaped by the complex interplay between several factors, including vector seasonality, interaction between four virus serotypes, and inapparent infections. However, paucity or quality of data do not allow for all of these to be taken into account in mathematical models. In order to explore separately the importance of these factors in models, we combined surveillance data with a local-scale cluster study in the rural province of Kampong Cham (Cambodia), in which serotypes and asymptomatic infections were documented. We formulate several mechanistic models, each one relying on a different set of hypotheses, such as explicit vector dynamics, transmission via asymptomatic infections and coexistence of several virus serotypes. Models are confronted with the observed time series using Bayesian inference, through Markov chain Monte Carlo. Model selection is then performed using statistical information criteria, but also by studying the coherence of epidemiological characteristics (reproduction numbers, incidence proportion, dynamics of the susceptible class) in each model. Considering the available data, our analyses on transmission dynamics in a rural endemic setting highlight both the importance of using two-strain models with interacting effects and the lack of added value of incorporating vector and explicit asymptomatic components.


Background: There is an international emphasis on providing timely and high quality data to monitor progress of countries toward Millennium Development Goals. Iran's Multiple Indicator Demographic and Health Survey (IrMIDHS) aimed to provide valid information on population and health outcomes to monitor progress in achieving national priorities and health programs and to assist policy makers to design effective strategies for improving health outcomes and equity in access to care. Methods: A cross-sectional multi-stage stratified cluster-random survey is conducted through face-to-face household interviews. The sampling frame is developed using Iran's 2006 population and housing census. Provincial samples ranging are from a minimum of 400 households per province to 6400 households in Tehran province. Cluster size is 10 households. The target sample includes 3096 clusters: 2187 clusters in urban and 909 clusters in rural areas. IrMIDHS instruments include three questionnaires: Household questionnaire, women aged 15-54 questionnaire, children under five questionnaire, supervision and quality assessment checklists and data collection sheets and standard weight and height measurement tools for under-five children. A cascading decentralized training method is used for training data collection and supervision teams. Quality assurance procedures are defined for the five steps of conducting the survey including: Sampling, training data collection and training teams, survey implementation, data entry and analysis. A multi-layer supervision and monitoring procedure is established. All the questionnaires are double entered. Conclusions: IrMIDHS will provide valuable data for policymakers in Iran. Designing and implementation of the study involve contributions from academics as well as program managers and policy makers. The collaborative nature of the study may facilitate better usage of its results.


TSEP-RLI was a technical cooperation project jointly conducted by GOP thru DA-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and GOJ thru JICA aimed at institutionalizing the training program for Rural Life Improvement (RLI) at the (ATI). As expected, farmers, fisherfolk, women, youth and extension agents were provided with efficient and effective training services from ATI leading to the improvement of quality of life in the rural areas through efforts of human resource development.The ATI- Bohol was chosen as the model center where participatory trials and various activities of the project were undertaken for five years. These activities were participatory surveys and data collection of on-farm and off-farm productive activities; planning workshop for RLI; feedbacking of survey results and action plans to the community and the Local Government Units (LGUs), and signing of Memorandum of Agreement between the Project and participating LGUs. The above activities were done to facilitate the planning and development of most effective and necessary rural life improvement activities, to confirm the willingness of the people to support and participate and to formalize the partnership between the Project and the LGUs.Since the concept of rural life covers a vast range of activities, a consensus had been reached that the total aspects of rural life be grasped in three spheres, namely, Production & Livelihood (P/L), Rural Living Condition (RLC) and Community Environment (C/E). The RLI for Ubi (Yam) Growers was one of the pilot activities undertaken in two pilot barangays and the target beneficiaries were members of the Rural Improvement Club (RIC- a group of organized women) with the LGU of the Municipality of Corella as the implementing partner.During the planning workshop, the barangay residents articulated their desire to promote production and processing of ubi (sphere on P/L - as the entry point), lack of nutritious food was one of the identified problem (sphere on RLC- expansion point) and environmental degradation such as deforestation, and soil erosion was another problem articulated by the community people (sphere on C/E- expansion point). Major activities that were undertaken namely, Ubi cooking contest, cooking/processing seminar, training courses on entrepreneurial development, ubi production and storage technology, packaging and product design, human resource development and simplified bookkeeping motivated the beneficiaries as well as developed and enhanced their skills & capabilities while strengthening their associations. Their participation to the 5 ubi festivals and other related activities had brought some impacts on their economic and rural life improvement activities. The seven principles of TSEP-RLI include the participatory process, holistic approach, dialogical approach, bottom -up training needs assessment, demand-driven approach, cost sharing approach and collaborative implementation with other agencies including LGUs and the community.


Objective To report the prevalence and distribution of gastric ulceration within a group of racehorses and to describe the endoscopic appearance of gastric antrum and pyloric ulceration.

Design Retrospective clinical study.

Procedure Medical records from gastroscopic examinations of 345 racehorses (331 Thoroughbreds and 14 Standardbreds) were reviewed. Prevalence, distribution and severity of gastric ulcers were recorded. Lesions involving the squamous mucosa and the glandular mucosa of the antrum and pylorus were graded and compared.

Results Gastric ulceration was found in 86% of racehorses. The squamous mucosa around the margo plicatus was most commonly affected. The pylorus was examined in 175 horses and 47% were ulcerated. No association was found between presence of lesions of the squamous mucosa and those of the pylorus. Low correlation was found between grade and location of lesions, with the pyloric lesion score being significantly less than the squamous mucosal lesion score.

Conclusion Gastric ulceration was present in a large proportion of racehorses. The pylorus was also an important site of ulceration. There was no association between presence of lesion at one site and the other, although there was a low correlation between grade of lesion and location, with the pyloric ulcer grade being lower.


We proposed and demonstrated a four-wavelength bi-directional dense-wavelength-division-multiplexing (DWDM) CATV system that uses chirped fiber gratings (CFGs) as the dispersion compensation devices to reduce the fiber dispersion and cross-phase modulation (XPM)-induced crosstalk simultaneously. Our proposed system not only reduces the required number of fibers, but also offers the advantages of capacity doubling. Excellent performances of carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) /spl ges/ 50 dB, composite second order (CSO) /spl ges/ 72 dB and composite triple beat (CTB) /spl ges/ 69 dB were obtained over a 50-km single-mode fiber (SMF) transport.


In order to reveal the influence of acidic gas SO2 and CaO etc alkali substances which are contained in industrial furnaces smoke to the strength of PSA fiber, tests are made in different acid and alkali conditions, and the changes of its surface morphology were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that: PSA has better acid corrosion resistance than alkali corrosion resistance. Its acid corrosion resistance is similar to the domestic aramid. PSA is better than Nomex in the concentration of 5% H2SO4. Its alkali corrosion resistance is worse than domestic aramid. The retention rate of breaking strength drop to 60.80% and 69.52% respectively after treated in the concentration of 5% H2SO4 for 48 hours and in the concentration of 5% NaOH for 4 hours. The elongation rate decline to 68.14% and 40.22% respectively, and the elongation rate fell to 68.14% and 40.22% respectively. Therefore, the PSA must be dealt against corrosion when used in strong acid or alkali environment.


INTRODUCTION We present the case of a minimally symptomatic patient found to have an elevated lithium level after a blood sample was inadvertently obtained in a green-top tube containing lithium heparin. CASE REPORT A 33-year-old woman presented 8 hours after ingesting an unknown quantity of sustained-release lithium carbonate, venlafaxine, clonazepam, and valproic acid. The patient was noted to be slightly drowsy but could be easily aroused. No gastrointestinal symptoms or electrocardiographic changes were observed. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit for observation. The patient's lithium level 21 hours after ingestion was 5.6 mEq/liter, but she was clinically asymptomatic. The disagreement between symptoms and lithium level led to the discovery that this blood sample had been collected in a lithium heparin tube, thereby falsely elevating the level. CONCLUSIONS This case illustrates the wisdom of the old adage to "treat the patient, not the levels." Caution should be used by physicians, nurses, technicians, and other personnel when obtaining blood samples.


Historical structures, like to masonry towers and another structures are among the structures subjected to the higher risk, due to their age, elevation and low base area on height ratio. In this paper introduce a technique of monitoring the structural integrity of historical buildings by a noncontact and non-destructive analysis is presented and discussed. The damage and destroy of a structure and building, in terms of cracks and overall structural degradation, is detected throughout the measurement of its dynamic characteristics by various ways, for example by a laser Doppler vibrometer(LDV). These techniques can show the frequency spectrum of the structure with high accuracy and reliability and reaction of structure against this technique. Also we will introduce that timber components have no influence on the system behaviour, which is mainly determined by the properties of connections and reactions.


The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department sought to reduce violent crime with an evidence-based approach to problem analysis and intervention planning. Informed by hot spot analysis and risk terrain modeling, police and their community partners implemented a place-based crime intervention program focused on key attractors and generators of the environmental backcloth. Target and comparison areas were selected for an outcome evaluation. During the 1-year program time period, violent crimes decreased significantly by over 22%. There was both a significant spatial diffusion of benefits and significantly fewer police officer-initiated actions resulting in arrests or citations. Crime prevention was achieved without an abundance of law enforcement actions against people located at the target areas. Implications for policy and practice are discussed within the contexts of police responses to urgent crime problems and data analytics.


The Gram-negative, symbiotic and nitrogen-fixing bacterium Sinorhizobium fredii NGR234 (NGR234) is able to nodulate over 120 different legume plant genera (Pueppke, Broughton 1999a). No other bacterium is currently known with such a broad host range. In recent years, notable achievements in deciphering the mechanisms responsible for this exceptional host range were accomplished. However there are still significant gaps in understanding the involved inter- and intraspecific communication mechanisms and their role in host range. To further identify possible molecular mechanisms linked to the biological phenomenon of broad host range two lines of work were followed:
First, population-wide and global transcriptome studies indicated that NGR234 has two major quorum sensing regulons each controlling several hundred genes. The traI/R regulon exclusively controls 130 genes, whereby the ngrI/R system regulates 280 genes. Additionally, 186 genes are co-regulated by both quorum sensing systems. To obtain these data a NGR234-ΔtraI and a NGR234-ΔngrI deletion mutant were constructed, and their transcriptomes compared with the corresponding transcriptome of the wild type strain. In general, flagellar and Type 4 pilus genes were regulated as well as genes for the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides. Astonishingly, the second T3SS seemed to be regulated in both mutants, although no function could be identified for this secretion system so far. Further, we analyzed the transcriptome of a newly constructed NGR234-ΔtraI-ΔngrI double deletion mutant to better understand the processes in the absence of any autoinducer. The surprising finding in the background of this mutant was that 98 % of the genes encoded on the symbiotic plasmid pNGR234a were upregulated. Among the highest upregulated genes were the repABC genes and this probably resulted in a general increase of the copy number of the pNGR234a replicon. The increase in copy number and repABC transcription was linked to the high level expression of two hitherto not identified small open reading frames (ORFs), located in the intergenic region between repA and traI. These novel ORFs were designated repX, probably coding for a 58 aa protein and repA0, probably encoding a 143 aa protein. Both ORFs were highly transcribed in the absence of autoinducer in NGR234-ΔtraI-ΔngrI but not in the presence of autoinducers or in wild type. In line with this finding, it was observed that symbiotic proteins such as the nodulation outer membrane proteins NopABCLPX were produced in the NGR234-ΔtraI-ΔngrI but not in the wild type and in the absence of plant-released flavonoids. Similar, the NGR234-ΔtraI-ΔngrI produced sufficient levels of nodulation factor to induce root hair curling in the absence of plant-released flavonoids. In addition to NGR234-ΔtraI-ΔngrI, NGR234-ΔtraI and NGR234-ΔngrI, the deletion mutants NGR234-ΔtraM and NGR234-ΔtraR were constructed and tested for the copy number of their symbiotic plasmid pNGR234a.
Second, and in addition to the population-wide studies, single cell analyses were performed. Therefore, seven promoter fusions were constructed and mobilized into NGR234 wild type cells and some of those additionally into a NGR234-ΔtraI and a NGR234-ΔngrI mutant, using the DsRed2 protein as marker. Our tests implied that under laboratory conditions high levels of phenotypic heterogeneous gene expression exist. Tests indicated that heterogeneity was highest after 24 h growth for the PtraI and PngrI and after 48 h growth in case of the PdlhR and PqsdR1 promoter fusions. The percentage of fluorescing cells in case of PtraI and PngrI were nearly 31 % for PtraI and nearly 40 % for PngrI after 24 h and nearly 40 % for PdlhR and nearly 48 % for PqsdR1 after 48 h growth.
Thereby, we provided strong evidence that under laboratory conditions surprisingly many genes in NGR234 are heterogeneously regulated especially the two autoinducer synthase genes traI and ngrI. However, the addition of external autoinducer and the addition of plant exudates led to a homogenization of the culture. These results imply that there are mechanisms that can overwrite NGR234's heterogeneous gene regulation and that heterogeneity may perhaps be not of high relevance in rhizospheres.
Most results of this work were published in Krysciak et al. 2014, Appl Environ Microbiol, Grote et al. 2014, Appl Environ Microbiol, and Grote & Krysciak et al. 2016, unpublished manuscript.


Objective Investigate whether non-daily smokers' (NDS) cigarette price and purchase preferences, recent cessation attempts, and current intentions to quit are associated with the density of the retail cigarette product landscape surrounding their residential address. Participants Cross-sectional assessment of N=904 converted NDS (CNDS). who previously smoked every day, and N=297 native NDS (NNDS) who only smoked non-daily, drawn from a national panel. Outcome measures Kernel density estimation was used to generate a nationwide probability surface of tobacco outlets linked to participants' residential ZIP code. Hierarchically nested log-linear models were compared to evaluate associations between outlet density, non-daily use patterns, price sensitivity and quit intentions. Results Overall, NDS in ZIP codes with greater outlet density were less likely than NDS in ZIP codes with lower outlet density to hold 6-month quit intentions when they also reported that price affected use patterns (G2=66.1, p<0.001) and purchase locations (G2=85.2, p<0.001). CNDS were more likely than NNDS to reside in ZIP codes with higher outlet density (G2=322.0, p<0.001). Compared with CNDS in ZIP codes with lower outlet density, CNDS in high-density ZIP codes were more likely to report that price influenced the amount they smoke (G2=43.9, p<0.001), and were more likely to look for better prices (G2=59.3, p<0.001). NDS residing in high-density ZIP codes were not more likely to report that price affected their cigarette brand choice compared with those in ZIP codes with lower density. Conclusions This paper provides initial evidence that the point-of-sale cigarette environment may be differentially associated with the maintenance of CNDS versus NNDS patterns. Future research should investigate how tobacco control efforts can be optimised to both promote cessation and curb the rising tide of non-daily smoking in the USA.


The Java script is a traditional Indonesian scripts known as Hanacaraka or Carakan. Java script becomes less desirable students who have not been introduced by Master to students using interesting digital media. Javanese language teachers in teaching activities do not yet have interactive learning media in making Java script. This research aims to develop digital media recognition Java script using artificial neural network back propagation method as a teaching material of Java language. The sample of research used is basic java script which consist of 20 characters. The method of extraction properties used is Fast Fourier Transform, which is sampled horizontally and vertically. The result of this research showed FFT and ANN can be made of interactive learning media. The effectiveness of system with sensitivity value of 0,046 - 0,085, specification value 0,023 - 0,052, and system reliability is 59,5%. Validation value system that has been built for pattern recognition Java script on the training process is 100%, the testing process with the data -3o rotation, -1o, +1o, +3o reaches 100%, for a rotation -5o testing data, and +5° is 80%, testing of handwritten data is 65%, the test data +10o rotation is 25%, the test with the data translation is 5%, and for testing with the data and the data of rotation +90° zoom in (view) is 0%.


With the reform of the education system and the prosperity of college sports leagues, China has witnessed certain achievements in the advancement of sports talent training models and league activities. However, colleges and universities face several difficulties and restrictions in the training model and strategy, training management system, athlete management and the league organization for the basketball promotion. Therefore, the paper, by taking the teams with high-level basketball training in 30 colleges as the research object, analyzed and summarized the existing problems in the education management of college 3V3 league, and established an education management model integrating players, coaches, training management and logistics support. Finally, in line with the teaching and training principles of the Ministry of Education, this paper, proposed targeted countermeasures and suggests combined with the status quo of domestic basketball league education, to promote and improve the application and quality of the integrated education management model.


The study compared the language instructional delivery system between the nursery schools in rural and urban areasin Osun state. The population consisted of all the nursery school teachers in Osun state. Proportionate randomsampling was used to prune down the population. In all 130 nursery school teachers, 68 in urban areas and 62 in ruralareas served as respondents of the study selected from 30 nursery schools located in rural and urban areas. Aresearcher made instrument named Teachers' Questionnaire (TQ) was designed for data collection. Thequestionnaire was validated before use and the reliability coefficient yielded 0.85 which is significant at 0.05 level ofsignificance. Data were analysed statistically using t-test analysis and percentages. Findings showed that there wasno significant difference between the methods adopted for implementing language curriculum in nursery schoolslocated in both rural and urban areas. A significant difference existed between the human resources available innursery schools located in both rural and urban areas. It was also found out that there was no curriculum for Yorubalanguage in most of the nursery schools visited. The study concluded with recommendations for both proprietors ofnursery schools in rural and urban areas to improve on their present standard in terms of teaching personnel,instructional resources and teaching/learning process, nursery school teachers and the three-tiers of government.


To ascertain the views of senior house officers and registrars on the educational and training component of their posts, a questionnaire was sent to all full-time doctors working in training posts in general and/or geriatric medicine at three district general and three teaching hospitals. Completed questionnaires were received from 64 (61%) of 105 doctors who were contacted. Most had a careers counsellor or tutor, although less than two-thirds thought they had benefited from this arrangement. The majority of doctors attended at least two medical tutorials or meetings per week; most wanted to attend more but were unable to because of other work commitments. Supervision by more senior staff on the ward was deemed by most to be satisfactory, but less so in out-patient clinics. Overall, one-third of doctors thought that training was inadequate and three-quarters wanted a greater amount of formal education. The majority of junior doctors' time was spent on routine work and most considered :training' constituted less than 10% of their working time. Doctors in training require more sessions designated as educational, with protected time to attend these.


Pandemics challenge the law and often highlight its strengths or expose its limits. The novel strain of influenza A (H1N1) virus that emerged in the spring of 2009 and rapidly spread around the globe was no exception. The H1N1 pandemic prompted the first significant application of a number of international legal and policy mechanisms that have been developed in the last decade to respond to this kind of event. Furthermore, it presented a considerable test for public health systems at all levels, from global to local. Although initial predictions forecasting high morbidity and mortality from this virus overestimated its eventual impact, the human toll of the pandemic was nevertheless significant. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported approximately 1.5 million people were infected worldwide in 214 countries, resulting in over 25,000 confirmed deaths, but the actual health impact of the outbreak was certainly much higher.


A series of 10 (2−11) new chiral (salicylaldiminato)tin Schiff base complexes obtained from the Schiff base condensation of 4-(diethylamino)salicylaldehyde and various amino acids, in the presence of diphenyltin oxide, is reported together with the parent achiral (1) derivative. Compounds 2−7 crystallize in the P212121 orthorhombic space group, and their quadratic nonlinear optical properties are investigated. At the molecular level, the derivatives possess similar electronic spectra (λmax ≈ 395 nm), and hence molecular hyperpolarizabilities (β), in relation to the same π-conjugated "push−pull" electronic structure. In the solid state, they exhibit efficiencies in second-harmonic generation (SHG) up to 8 times that of urea. The SHG intensities of chromophores 2−6 appear largely correlated with a simple "degree of chirality" (dχ) parameter, defined from the molecular geometries. The intriguing issue of a possible quantification of chirality by means of SHG measurement is addressed.


Background and aim: Recurrent corrosive esophagitis is a rare condition among children and may be due to child abuse. The Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP) is special form of child abuse with variety of symptoms. It has challenging diagnostic process and needs a high clinical suspicion. When it is identified by physician, institutional child protection team must involve into the management of the case. Case report: We present the two siblings with recurrent esopahigitis. One of them died due to severe gastrointestinal bleeding. Other had severe esophageal stricture and oral lesions. Their mother fed both of them with caustic material at various time intervals. Both babies were treated in our hospital several times with the admission of their mother. Conclusion: This is the probably the first case report of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP) with caustic material ingestion of two siblings. Determining the exact cause of such cases is very difficult and physician must suspect child abuse in this situation.


Vertex-based models provide a powerful tool to test hypotheses as to what processes determine the dynamics of epithelial sheets in developmental biology. They have been applied to pattern formation, growth regulation and morphogen signal interpretation in the Drosophila wing disc, to cell migration in the mouse visceral endoderm, and to wound healing. Within vertex-based models the apical surface of an epithelial sheet is approximated by a two-dimensional tessellation of polygons that represent the individual cells, and vertices of the polygons move in response to forces that are exerted by the cells. As such, this approach naturally incorporates mechanical properties of the sheet. Close collaboration with experimentalists allows us to address fundamental questions in morphogenesis, such as the regulation of tissue size via the control of cell growth and apoptosis through mechanical feedback and morphogen signalling. Based on experimental results from the Drosophila embryo epidermis, we iteratively add biologically significant detail to the vertex-based framework, such as mitotic cell rounding. We aim to develop a model of growing epithelial sheets that can be subjected to quantitative model validation and hypothesis testing. To enable quantitative model validation we develop a high-throughput data analysis pipeline to acquire characteristic spatio-temporal metrics from state of the art video microscopy data. We conduct our implementation within the Chaste computational framework (http://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/chaste). In this framework, test-driven development of open-source software ensures high code quality and model transparency. As such, our computational tools can readily be used by other researchers to directly address biological research questions.


. Canopy architecture, yield components, berry composition, pruning weight, Ravaz Index, and midwinter primary bud cold hardiness of own-rooted 'Vidal blanc' ( Vitis vinifera 3 Vitis rupestris ) were measured in response to balanced pruning formula treatments of 20, 30, or 40 nodes retained for the first 454 g of dormant pruning weight and an additional 10 nodes for each additional 454 g and three cluster thinning levels of one, two, and two + clusters per shoot in 2006 and 2007. Although the pruning formula affected the distance between shoots along the canopy, and the number of count shoots per hectare, the canopy leaf layer numbers were unaffected in either year. Application of the pruning formula did not affect components of yield in either year. However, the number of clusters and yield per vine were affected by cluster thinning treatments where they increased linearly with the decrease in its severity, explaining 73% and 77% of total variance in yield in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Pruning formula or cluster thinning did not affect berry composition substantially. Cluster thinning improved the percentage of mature nodes on shoots before a killing frost in both years. Cluster thinning to one or two clusters per shoot also improved the lethal temperature killing 50% of the primary buds compared with no cluster thinning in both years of the study. Mature wood weight and total pruning weight displayed a quadratic response to cluster thinning where two clusters per shoot had the greatest weight for both, whereas pruning formula had no effect on pruning weight. Optimum fruit weight–pruning weight ratio was achieved with the 30 + 10 pruning formula and two clusters per shoot cluster thinning treatments in both years of the study. The results of this study provide valuable information for growers of interspecific hybrids such as 'Vidal blanc' in the lower midwestern United States as well as in other regions with long, warm growing seasons. Balanced pruning to 30 nodes per 454 g of dormant prunings and cluster thinning to two clusters per shoots optimized yield, maintained fruit composition, improved primary bud cold hardiness, and achieved an optimum fruit weight-to-pruning weight ratio of 10.0 kg · kg –1 . Thus, this approach should be used for 'Vidal blanc' in the lower midwestern United States to sustain production.


As recently as the 1880s, most American cities had no effective means of collecting and removing the mountains of garbage, refuse, and manure - over a thousand tons a day in New York City alone - that clogged streets and overwhelmed the senses of residents. In his landmark study, Garbage in the Cities, Martin Melosi offered the first history of efforts begun in the Progressive Era to clean up this mess. Since it was first published, Garbage in the Cities has remained one of the best historical treatments of the subject. This thoroughly revised and updated edition includes two new chapters that expand the discussion of developments since World War I. It also offers a discussion of the reception of the first edition, and an examination of the ways solid waste management has become more federally regulated in the last quarter of the twentieth century. Melosi traces the rise of sanitation engineering, accurately describes the scope and changing nature of the refuse problem in U.S. cities, reveals the sometimes hidden connections between industrialization and pollution, and discusses the social agendas behind many early cleanliness programs. Absolutely essential reading for historians, policy analysts, and sociologists, Garbage in the Cities offers a vibrant and insightful analysis of this fascinating topic.


The current process for the design of an urban master plan typically involves a team of architects and urban planners that conceive a handful of schemes based on zoning requirements with the help of CAD software. They may intend for the plan to achieve a set of performance goals (economic, environmental, etc.), but quantitative analysis is rarely conducted early and consistently through the design process. This makes it difficult to understand the full range of approaches that are possible on a site, and the relative performance of each scheme. In order to best accommodate rapid urbanization while making cities more sustainable, livable, and equitable, designers must utilize quantitative tools to make informed decisions about their designs. Computational design techniques have been successfully used at the building scale to test numerous designs and quantify their performance, but are challenging to apply at the urban scale due to increased computational expense, difficulty in limiting inputs, and more stakeholders involved in the process. This paper outlines a methodology developed in practice for applying computational design at the urban scale through four steps: 1) Simplified Input Definition 2) Procedural Geometry Generation, 3) Performance Evaluation and 4) Analysis & Communication to generate and test thousands of master planning scenarios.


Unsupervised landmark learning is the task of learning semantic keypoint-like representations without the use of expensive input keypoint-level annotations. A popular approach is to factorize an image into a pose and appearance data stream, then to reconstruct the image from the factorized components. The pose representation should capture a set of consistent and tightly localized landmarks in order to facilitate reconstruction of the input image. Ultimately, we wish for our learned landmarks to focus on the foreground object of interest. However, the reconstruction task of the entire image forces the model to allocate landmarks to model the background. This work explores the effects of factorizing the reconstruction task into separate foreground and background reconstructions, conditioning only the foreground reconstruction on the unsupervised landmarks. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed factorization results in landmarks that are focused on the foreground object of interest. Furthermore, the rendered background quality is also improved, as the background rendering pipeline no longer requires the ill-suited landmarks to model its pose and appearance. We demonstrate this improvement in the context of the video-prediction task.


Vehicle's sliding resistance mainly includes rolling resistance, air drag resistance and friction within the transmission, wheel bearings and other related components. Among those, rolling resistance and air drag always exist whenever vehicle is running, so they have great influence on vehicle's dynamic performance and fuel economy. Therefore, it is important to determine vehicle's rolling resistance coefficient and air drag coefficient quickly and accurately in order to operate vehicle properly and reduce the vehicle's fuel consumption. Combining theoretical analysis with experimental verification, calculation model based on road coasting test was given by means of least squares principle. And through which vehicle rolling resistance coefficient and air drag coefficient were determined easily. Then by using the test data from some Minibus, the vehicle's rolling resistance coefficient and air drag coefficient are calculated according to established model. The computation result shows that rolling resistance coefficient is a linear function of the speed and the air drag coefficient is constant. Finally, the analysis shows that the calculation model is simple, precise and useful.


Drug delivery systems allow tissue / cell specific targeting of drugs in order to reduce total drug amounts administered to an organism and potential side effects upon systemic drug delivery. Most drug delivery systems are polymer-based, but the number of possible materials is limited since many commercially available polymers induce allergic or inflammatory responses or lack either biodegradability or the necessary stability in vivo. Spider silk proteins represent a new class of (bio)polymers that can be used as drug depots or drug delivery systems. The recombinant poly-anionic spider silk protein eADF4(C16), which can be processed into different morphologies such as particles, films, or hydrogels, has been shown to fulfil most criteria necessary for its use as biomaterial. Further, eADF4(C16) particles have been shown to be well-suited as drug carriers for poly-cationic or neutral drugs, but cellular uptake of such particles is low. Novel variants of eADF4(C16) with inversed net charge or incorporated cell penetrating peptides and receptor interacting motifs show an increased cellular uptake. Further, polycationic variants allow incorporation of negatively charged drugs including high molecular weight substances, like nucleic acids.


Micro-scale, whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators are important devices for trapping, slowing down, and intensifying light in opto-electronic applications. Of the many available silica-based devices, surface nanoscale axial photonics (SNAP) resonators are a new generation of WGM microresonators, consisting of an optical fiber with nanoscale variations of its effective radius. They have received great attention owing to their advantages over conventional silica-based devices, such as flexibility and ultra-low losses, which lead to ultra-high quality factors. They have demonstrated great potential as photonic micro-devices in switching, slowing light, filtering, lasing, and sensing with high precision, as well as for research on Anderson localization and tunnelling.

In this thesis, we present a new fabrication method for SNAP devices using a regular hydrogen-oxygen torch, requiring less equipment than current techniques. We have characterized our SNAP devices with evanescent spectroscopy, utilizing a tapered optical fiber as an excitation source. The transmission spectroscopy results show that our flame fabricated SNAP devices have modes with very high quality factors (~10^7) which can show significant thermal non-linear effects.


The present paper describes an overview of mathematical modeling of the glass melting process inside an open-top skull furnace having DC plasma discharge as the primary energy source. This melting system has been developed by Plasmelt Glass Technologies LLC (Boulder, CO, USA). A mathematical model of intensive glass melting, which is a non-stationary state process, and corresponding software have been developed by modeling team of Laboratory of Glass Properties LLC (LGP). This mathematical model has been created in parallel with the development of the melting process itself. Having a fully operational pilot unit available the Plasmelt team had the possibility to compare behavior of a real melting system with that calculated by the model. Special attention was paid to accuracy of input data on both physical properties of glass and processing parameters. The influence of absorption of radiation in short- and near- IR ranges (0.6 – 2.6 µm) by the molten glass on some key process parameters (throughput and outflow molten glass temperature) has been studied. This work has become possible because of intensive work of the joint team: Ron Gonterman and Mike Weinstein (Plasmelt), Scott Parker (University of Colorado), Oleg Prokhorenko, Sergey Tarakanov, Sergey Chivilikhin, Marina Chistokolova and Roman Eroshkin (LGP) on task formulation, experimental runs, model development, testing and verification, and physical properties studies.


Processes of diffusion interaction between solid and liquid phases take place in such phenomena as wetting, spreading, dissolution, contact melting, liquid metal corrosion, changes of mechanical properties of metals and alloys being in contact with melts, etc. The knowledge of the mechanism and regularities of this interaction is necessary for development of such technologies, as sintering, self-propagating high temperature synthesis, impregnation, casting, welding, soldering, liquid metal cladding, etc. However, in despite of the fact that the problem of diffusion interaction between solid and liquid metals is of the paramount importance as for science as well for practice, no intelligible theory of the phenomenon is available. The paper fills the gap in our knowledge of this subject.


This researched based case study has been conducted to investigate the fact that whether first language acquisition process in case of vocabulary (acquiring word meanings) follows some certain sequential stages despite specific learners and their particular contexts. That is to say, to challenge the existing idea of having universal developmental patterns in case of vocabulary acquisition which tries to bring all the unique learners under one single umbrella, this study was conducted on an individual to observe whether and to what extent the child is following or conforming up to any idealistic standard of acquiring vocabulary. Therefore the study had some pre-determined questions set which was ask to the randomly selected child within an informal context (her play time). Interestingly, the study results which were analyzed both qualitatively and quantifiably with support of secondary literatures revealed that the child is not following any particular patterns of development at a time. Rather is developing word meanings by following some random sequences. That is to say, she has developed some features of word meanings which she should have acquired in some later stages (after a particular age) according to the claim of many researchers. On the other hand, she has not yet acquired features which she should have acquired already. Therefore it can be concluded that a child's first language vocabulary acquisition process (especially acquisition of word meanings) cannot be made generalized under some certain or principled patterns or rules. This is because every learning process is unique since every individual learner is unique.


The trailing edge of the high pressure turbine blade presents significant challenges to the turbine cooling engineer. The current research has focused specifically on the effect of cutback surface protuberance, or "land", shapes on film cooling effectiveness. A set of six different land geometries has been investigated in a large scale model of the trailing edge pressure side ejection slot exit. Slot height and width and lip height was maintained. Pressure sensitive paint was used to measure adiabatic film cooling effectiveness at five blowing ratios ranging from 0.6 to 1.4 in increments of 0.2. High resolution 2D distributions of film cooling effectiveness both on the cutback surface and the top of the lands were recorded.


Two cases of patients with large squamous cell carcinoma in the lower lip, that were submitted to the reconstructive surgery, using technique of lateral progress with reconstruction of the red lip, always tends the concern of the recovery not only functional as well as aesthetic of these pacients ones, are reported. A classification is given suggesting the main locations of the squamous cell carcinoma of the lip, allowing better definition with relationship to the surgical technique to be used in each case, depending on the location and involvement or not of the lip comissure.


Agricultural sorbents have received attention for their effectiveness in oil removal. In Malaysia, oil palm's empty fruit bunch (EFB) spikelets are an abundant agricultural waste that provides a non-toxic, renewable resource of cellulosic materials. In this study, the effectiveness of EFB spikelets to remove oil spills from seawater pollution in a filter system was investigated and the best optimisation approach for filtering conditions was determined. Experiments for oil spill clean-up were performed using a filter-based oil sorption system with a series of conditions such as temperature, time, packing density, and oil concentration to evaluate sorption capacity, oil and water absorbed efficiency. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to characterise the physicochemical properties of untreated and treated EFB fibres. Based on one-factor-at -a-time (OFAT) analysis conducted at 160 °C for 30 min on 0.1 g/cm3 of packing density containing 25% diesel, 8.667 mL of oil and 5 mL of water was absorbed. In response surface methodology (RSM), the three parameters of temperature, packing density and diesel concentration were observed as significant. From RSM fitting model analysis, the predicted value obtained for both oil and water absorbed were 8.805 and 5.213 mL, respectively. The experimental RSM values of 9 and 5 mL of oil and water absorbed were obtained. The result demonstrated the validity of the model as the experimental RSM values were close to the RSM model's prediction. As compared to OFAT, the RSM method is more efficient in oil removal. This research contributes to a better knowledge of the usage of a natural sorbent as a method of diesel pollution remediation.


ABSTRACT As office workers' use of social networking sites (SNSs) has increased, so has research interest in the effect of SNS use on job performance. The present study employs data collected from South Korean office workers to examine how the use of the SNS Facebook affects job performance and to investigate the moderating effects of task characteristics (task equivocality and task interdependence). The results show that Facebook use for work has a positive effect on job performance, although the time spent on Facebook use does not have a significant effect on job performance. Moreover, task interdependence is associated with a decrease in the effect of Facebook use for work on job performance. In other words, task interdependence has a negative moderating effect on the impact of Facebook use for work on job performance. The reason is that Facebook is particularly advantageous for enhancing performance in tasks where the level of interdependence is low because it is a medium with relatively low synchrony and is unsuitable for one-to-one relationship building. This study has implications for companies that are concerned about formulating policies related to employees' use of SNSs.


Digital holographic microscopy provides an ideal tool for 3D tracking of microspheres while simultaneously allowing a full and accurate characterization of their main physical properties such as: radius and refractive index. We demonstrate that the combination of high resolution multipoint tracking and accurate optical sizing of tracers provides an ideal tool for precise multipoint viscosity measurements. We also report a detailed evaluation of the technique's accuracy and precision in relation to the primary sources of error.


This study has been the result of a suggestion made by Dr. E.C. Barker while lecturing to one of his classes in American History. Much has been written on sectionalism in the South during the three quarters of a century preceding the Civil War, but relatively little has been published on New England sectionalism. Likewise, a great deal has been written on New England opposition to westward expansion only in so far as it was connected with the purchase of Louisiana, the annexation of Texas, and the purchase of the American Southwest at the conclusion of the Mexican War. In fact, this attitude toward westward expansion is evident from the beginning of New England and has been continuous. In the main the sources used in this study have been books, letters, articles, and other materials written by New Englanders and others of the period in which they live.


Two horizontal subsurface flow wetlands were constructed on separate sites in Ireland - one to provide secondary treatment and the other to provide a tertiary treatment for single house domestic effluent. A comprehensive analysis over three years provided a robust characterisation of the internal dynamics of the systems with respect to N and P removal. The removal of Total N was only 29% and 30% in the secondary and tertiary treatment wetlands respectively and revealed a drop off in performance over time with a higher release of org-N during summer periods. 15 N stable isotope studies confirmed that 35% of the ammonium from the septic tank was passing straight through the process without taking part in any biogeochemical processes. However, the study showed that influent N in both wetlands was being biologically assimilated into organic nitrogen (biomass or plants) and then released again as soluble ammonium – so-called nitrogen "spiraling". Removal of Total P in the wetlands averaged 45% and 28% respectively. The results also showed that if the annual above ground stem matter was completely removed it would only account for 8.4% and 1.3% of the annual total P-load to the respective wetlands. Accordingly the effluent PO4-P concentrations were still found to be >5 mg/l on average.


While Finland has traditionally been a country where major political forces have put important emphasis on balancing the regional structure and supporting the peripheral regions, development since the 1990s has been characterised by growing regional differences and increasing dominance of centralising tendencies. In the first decade of the new millennium, these tendencies have further intensified. This article analyses the processes, dynamics and underlying rationalities of this state restructuring and state spatial transformation in Finland and in the Helsinki region, the capital area of the country. The developments in Finland are placed in broader international context as they are analysed in relation to recent debates on state rescaling. The validity of some of the core arguments presented in these debates is examined in the Finnish context. The case of the Helsinki region and Finland is also set into a Nordic perspective by presenting a comparison of rescaling tendencies in the Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark and Norway). The findings are mixed, as there are both elements supporting the rescaling thesis and clear deviations from the core arguments.


practitioner (with hardware and software provided by the Greater London Council funded London New Technology Network), to encourage clinical review and regular assessment of biochemical control. If, as in the east London study,' most general practitioner supervised patients once attended a hospital diabetic clinic it should be possible to build most of the register from hospital records. The remainder may be provided by general practitioner disease lists and prescription returns for hypoglycaemic drugs and urine testing agents. BRIAN HURWITZ JOHN YUDKIN Whittington Hospital, London N19